Gone South The Fall of Latoya Cantrell
Mar 25, 2026
Stephanie Grace, Times-Picayune political columnist with decades covering New Orleans, walks through LaToya Cantrell's rise from Broadmoor activist to mayor. She discusses allegations about a personal relationship, use of a city-owned French Quarter apartment, travel controversies, deleted messages and cover-up claims. The conversation also touches on how ambition and scandals reshaped city politics and the transition to new leadership.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Corruption Is Built Into New Orleans Politics
- New Orleans has a long history of political corruption that shapes local expectations and media coverage.
- Stephanie Grace frames corruption as endemic, creating both political drama and extensive local reporting on graft cases like Bill Jefferson and Ray Nagin.
Broadmoor Activism Launched Cantrell's Career
- LaToya Cantrell rose from Broadmoor neighborhood activism after Katrina, leading recovery projects like reopening a charter school and the Neighborhood Library.
- Her Green Dot opposition became a launching pad for city council then mayor, showing grassroots power after disaster.
Policy Wins Didn’t Fix Deep Infrastructure Issues
- Infrastructure problems (old pipes, boil water advisories, collapsing projects) remained persistent despite policy wins.
- Cantrell secured funding for Sewage and Water Board but the city still faced repeated boil-water notices and the Hard Rock collapse.